The first witness called was not Gates but Tad Devine, a political consultant who was Bernie Sanders’ chief strategist in the 2016 election and had previously worked with Manafort in Ukraine. The government, he suggested, had “rushed to judgment” in bringing the case. US citizens are not prosecuted for mistakes in their tax returns.” “Paul Manafort did not intentionally deceive or mislead the IRS about his income. He said this was the preferred method of payment of the supporters of the pro-Russia Ukrainian political party who were paying his consulting fees. Zehnle disputed prosecutors’ claim that Manafort was trying to hide his earnings by storing money in bank accounts in Cyprus. “The foundation of the special counsel’s case against Paul Manafort rests squarely on the shoulders of this one person.” Zehnle warned the jury to consider carefully what motives Gates might have for giving evidence as the government’s star witness. “Rick Gates, you will learn, violated one of life’s most basic rules: when you’re in a hole, stop digging.” ![]() Gates embezzled millions of dollars from his longtime employer, Zehnle alleged, and “continued to make false statements” even up to the time he pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate. Again, the evidence is going to show you Paul’s trust was misplaced.” It’s a lot, and Paul Manafort trusted that Rick Gates was keeping track of it … That’s what Rick Gates was being paid to do. “Manafort relied on Gates and others, including a professional accounting firm, to keep tabs on the money,” he continued. “Rick Gates had his hand in the cookie jar and he couldn’t take the risk his boss would find out,” Zehnle said. He left little doubt that the defence strategy hinges on shattering the credibility of Gates, who also worked as an aide on Trump’s election campaign and cut a plea deal with Mueller this year.Ī courtroom sketch depicts Paul Manafort, seated in the right row, second from right the jury, seated left and Judge TS Ellis III listening to the assistant US attorney Uzo Asonye, standing. The defence lawyer Thomas Zehnle said in his opening statement that Manafort had trusted others to keep track of the millions of dollars he was earning from his Ukrainian political consultancy work. “Paul Manafort lied to his bookkeeper, he lied to his tax preparer, he lied to the IRS, he lied to multiple financial institutions – all in order to get and keep money.” ![]() Whatever role subordinates played, Asonye contended, the “shrewd” Manafort was the one issuing orders and was the beneficiary. But when Manafort’s “golden goose” client, the former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, fell from power in 2014, the money dried up and Manafort’s web of deceit expanded to compensate. It came down, Asonye said, to one issue: “Did Paul Manafort lie?” He added: “Paul Manafort placed himself and his money above the law.”įrom 2005 onwards, the court heard, Manafort worked for politicians and oligarchs in Ukraine and received payments through shell companies. He had allegedly opened 30 bank accounts in three foreign countries to “receive and hide” his income. ![]() The US district judge TS Ellis III interjected: “It isn’t a crime to have a lot of money and be profligate in your spending.”īut the evidence would show that Manafort had submitted false tax returns, committed bank fraud more than once and submitted fake documents or got others to do it for him, Asonye alleged. ![]() That “secret income” had been used to pay for personal expenses such as a $21,000 watch, a $15,000 jacket made of ostrich and more than $6m worth of property paid for in cash, Asonye said.
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